Some Libyan brothers reviewing Shaykh Al-Albani’s fatwa on the obligation of emigrating from Libya.

The questioner : In truth, first of all, greetings to you from the Libyan youth, both collectively and individually.

The Shaykh : And peace be upon you and upon them.

The questioner : If not in their hearts, then in their words.

The Shaykh : And may Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon you.

The questioner : Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, knows that we love you, both collectively and individually as well.

The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.

The questioner : Shaykh, one of our brothers sat with you a while ago and spoke, or rather rambled, about the situation in Libya. You issued a fatwa to the youth to emigrate from Libya. In my opinion, the picture did not reach you as it is, which is what you based this fatwa on. Now, Shaykh, I almost say that it has created fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). The youth are now in a state of confusion; everyone who is committed, even if only slightly, has packed his bag and is ready to emigrate!

The Shaykh : And what is the correct fatwa?

The questioner : No, your fatwa is as you explained to me, making it clear that we do not attack your knowledge, otherwise we would not have come to you!

The Shaykh : As you explained to me, what is the correct fatwa?

The questioner : As you explained to me, your fatwa is correct, for you know better. I want to clarify some points!

The Shaykh : I do not think you will change the fatwa... I am telling you in advance, so clarify whatever you wish to clarify.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Yes, what was not clarified to you that you want to clarify?

The questioner : The picture that reached you is that the youth there...

The Shaykh : Leave it, leave it. You, make your speech positive. Leave the negatives. Now tell me the correct picture, the one that necessitates changing the fatwa!

The questioner : I do not say it necessitates, but rather...

The Shaykh : My brother, if the picture is not correct in reality and was presented to me incorrectly, and my answer was based on what was presented, and you say your answer is correct, well, if the picture is changed, will the answer change?

The questioner : Perhaps the fatwa will change!

The Shaykh : If the picture is changed, does the answer remain the same, or does it change?

The questioner : It changes.

The Shaykh : This is what I am saying. Therefore, you now mention the realistic picture, and we will see if there is room for changing the fatwa, because the fatwa changes and the rulings change with the change of time and place. This is known among the jurists. And by the way, so that this statement is not misunderstood, we do not mean that the rulings specified in the Book and the Sunnah change with the change of time and place? No, but rather because of the change in the circumstances of these rulings, and the answer changes completely. So, you now tell me what is the realistic picture, and tell me what is the fatwa regarding this realistic picture.

The questioner : Yes, there is, in fact, a great deal of persecution of the Muslim youth.

The Shaykh : There is what?

The questioner : Persecution.

The Shaykh : Persecution, yes.

The questioner : And restriction, meaning no one doubts this. But on the other hand, regarding the youth leaving Libya, now this Muslim youth, or this situation existed before, the five daily prayers in the mosque, and wearing the Islamic dress, and frequenting, especially the Quran memorization circles are full of youth, meaning by the grace of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, and the youth are moving in an unusual direction toward memorizing the Quran, to the extent that a large number of them now, by the grace of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, have memorized or are almost among the memorizers of the Book of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. Meaning, in such circumstances, on the other hand, there is restriction upon them. The restriction, our Shaykh, is limited to the active youth, or the youth who have activity in terms of da'wah (calling others to Islam), distributing books, distributing tapes, giving lessons. These are truly, as they say, under the microscope, and usually, meaning, they are arrested. Everyone who knows they have activity is arrested and put in prisons. But it is possible in Libya for the Muslim youth to pray his prayers as I mentioned, and to obtain books, to the extent that they are innumerable. Books and tapes are available to us by the grace of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, due to the absence of borders and gates, which made it easy. The question here is: does the youth who is able to, or can manage to, maintain his prayers, perhaps needing to move to the mosque, and maintain his Shari'ah dress, and since we have, especially in our dress called the Arab suit, meaning the youth can wear it, and it is a Shari'ah dress that covers the 'awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) and nothing of it is exposed, he blends in with the general public, meaning he does not have a distinctive appearance. He can maintain his religion and call within his family without harm reaching him. So, does such a person in this last picture have to leave Libya?

The Shaykh : You are now saying that the picture was presented to you as not its reality. You are now presenting to me a picture, or rather pictures, is that correct or not?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Well, so every picture has its answer. Well, I am telling you now regarding your first question, which is: does every youth have to emigrate? We do not say every youth has to emigrate, because we do not say every Muslim has to perform Hajj (the major pilgrimage), and you understand what I mean by this statement?

The questioner: Yes, Shaykh.

The Shaykh : Well, so if I said every youth has to emigrate, is it reasonable that I said this? You should have kept the question and the answer in mind to know that every question has an answer. Now, you mentioned two pictures: the da'iyah (caller) youth, if that is the correct term, is the one being pursued and the one being persecuted. As for the ordinary people who go to the mosques and pray and do not call and do not demonstrate against the unjust, disbelieving rule, there is no pressure or persecution on them, is that what you said?

The questioner : Not in that sense. I do not mean the second description of the common youth, but rather committed youth. You find them, for example, frequenting corners for Quran memorization and frequenting the mosques and praying the prayer that conforms to the Sunnah (the Prophet's way), and they hold Salafi thought and Salafi creed, and they call, but they do not have, for example, a clear appearance. For example, I clarify the picture: I move, I obtain some books, I give them to those I trust, or I speak in homes without having a public appearance. Meaning, this is not noticed, or it does not pose a great danger to them in their view, because they have not paid attention to its reality. So, for example, the one they see wearing the white shirt and covering his head, and his izar (lower garment) is clear, like this, his appearance is distinctive, so he is noticed, especially if speech or lessons come from him, or he carries books in his hands. But if he tries to use wisdom, he does not leave the da'wah. Some of them call, and this is a fact, I have associated with many of them, they call and have an active role, and if you sit with them or pass by them on the road, you do not notice them in public gatherings...

The Shaykh : In any case, Professor of Hadith, the description of reality differs from person to person, and even from one person in one situation to another, the description differs. Therefore, I told you that you should have kept the nature of the question and the nature of the answer in mind. If the question is realistic and the answer is to this question, there is no fault in the question and the answer, because every question has an answer. Therefore, whenever you develop the question, naturally the answer develops and does not remain static, because knowledge does not accept stagnation.